Clove Oil

Clove oil is one such oil which should always be kept in your home. Why, you may ask ? Well, that’s because clove essetial oil is the most powerful and completely natural toothache relief.This fact about clove oil had been known to our ancestors since the ancient times. When you are suffering from a throbbing, intense toothache, the relief that clove oil provides is miraculous. Oil of cloves has many more medicinal properties and uses for better health at home. It is also used in many commercial products, especially because it contains eugenol.

Source

Clove oil comes from cloves, which is a common condiment. Cloves are actually the buds on the flowers of the tree Syzygium aromaticum. Notice the last name which clearly signifies that the plant is aromatic. Cloves are strong smellic, slightly pungent and spicy to taste. They warm up the body and provide many health benefits. Cloves are native to Indonesia and they grow in many parts of the tropical world.

Types of Clove Oil
There are three types of clove oil based on its source.

Clove bud oil – obtained from the clove buds. This is the most common oil used for househld purposes.

Clove leaf oil – obtained from the leaves of the Syzygium aromaticum. Slightly more pungent and sharp odor.

Clove tree belongs to the Myrtaceae family, which is known for trees which produce highly aromatic content oils, like the Eucalyptus oil.

How to make clove oil at home ?
One can also make clove oil at home. Take 2 tablespoon whole cloves. Now grind them to a powder. Add this powder to cheesecloth or coffee filter. Tie it on the top with a string. Take about 200 ml of olive oil, or coconut oil. Dip the powder cloth in this oil and cover the jar airtight. Now, put it at the lowest heat for about 1 hour, or keep the jar in sunlight for 1 day. Throw away the cloth and your oil is ready. It is clove infused oil and is less potent that clove essential oil.

Properties

You might have figured out by now that clove oil has strong analgesic properties. However, clove essential oil has got many more therapeutic properties which have medicinal significance.

Clove Oil (Image:Shutterstock)

Analgesic – strong pain reliever, also called an anodyne.

Anaesthetic – has strong numbing sensation.

Antiseptic – prevents the growth of germs in wounds and open areas on skin

Antibacterial – strong killer of many species of bacteria. Clove oil has been identified to kill more than 60 bacterial species.

Anti-fungal – one of the strongest Candida killers on the planet, besides Coconut oil

Anti-viral – Clove oil can also kill many virus strains, although they are fewer than bacterial strains.

Insecticide – at high dilutions, it drives away most insects. At low dilutions, it starts killing them.

Uterine – it affects the uterus. Should not be used by pregnant women.

Anti-neuralgic – relieves pain in the nerves, mainly caused by inflammation. This is extremely helpful, as very few things can do this job.

Mental stimulant – its smell alerts the mind

Anti-oxidant – Clove oil is the most powerful antioxidant on earth. It has an ORAC value of 10 ,786,875 µ TE/100 gm , which is a whopping 10 million and more.

Irritant – clove oil can instantly lead to skin irritation, contact dermatitis and even chemical burns if used at slightly higher concentrations.

Rubefacient – it reduces redness on the skin.

Carminative – it lowers flatulence when taken internally. The oil of cloves is never ingested. This property is seen when foods are flavored with eugenol, which exerts this effect.

Anti-hiccup

Warming – Clove oil can warm up the body.

Anti-heminthic – kills internal parasites.

Immune stimulant

Anti-stomach ulcer

These properties make clove oil very useful for personal health care. But, clove oil is very strong essential oil, so it should be used with caution.

Uses And Health Benefits

Clove oil has medicinal effects on the body. It performs its effects in very small concentrations. Many times, all you need is just a few drops of this oil in a carrier medium.

Clove oil for Toothache

Clove essential oil stops a toothache in seconds. For stronger toothaches, it may take longer time to curb the pain. If you are suffering from toothache, this is how to use clove oil.

Ingredients
Clove essential oil
Cotton ball

Directions
Take the cotton ball. Add 2 – 5 drops of clove essential oil. The oil quickly distributes throughout the cotton ball. Now, carefully place this in between your teeth at the point of toothache. Keep the cotton ball there till the pain disappears. One can now only feel a strange teething sensation, or no sensation at all.

Why it works ?
Clove oil is a dental anaesthetic. It numbs the nerve which carries pain signal from the jaw to the brain, effectively blocking out all the pain. This is however a temporary workaround the toothache. Clove oil seeps to other areas of the mouth and effectively starts any oral bacteria and fungi. This prevents the spread of any infection. One really has to visit the dentist in order to get the problem corrected, whether it a wisdom tooth, impacted tooth, a filling that is due or whatever.

A mixture of clove oil and zinc oxide has traditionally been used an antiseptic dental filling. The cotton ball technique mentioned above is also a remedy for teething pain and also for treating a dry socket.

Clove Oil for Bacterial Infections

These are some of the bacterial infections against which clove oil is powerful.

Bacillus cereus

B. subtilis

P. Acnes

Staphylococcus aureus

Escherichia coli

Klebsiella pneumoniae

Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Proteus vulgaris

And many others [1] [2]. Clove oil kills the bacteria strains that cause conditions like acne, many food borne illnesses, cholera, bronchitis and many others.

A special formulation involving clove oil, eucalyptus oil, cinnamon oil, rosemary oil and lemon oil is a very powerful antibacterial. It can be diffused inside the house using a vaproizer. This formula kills almost 99 % of bacteria in the air, thus providing protection from respiratory and other disease causing bacteria which enter through the nose.

Clove Oil For Acne

Clove oil is one of the few natural remedies for cystic acne, that most stubborn form of acne which results in large, painful cysts developing on the face. They may also emerge on the back and chest. Cystic acne is very tough to deal with it. These cysts lead to deep scars which require long sessions of scar treatment. This is how to use clove oil for cystic acne.

Ingredients
Clove essential oil
Glycerin
Rose Water

Directions / How to use
Cleanse your face with only rosewater. Take some of it on a cotton ball and then rub it across the face. Now, add 10 drops of clove essential oil to about 200 ml glycerin. Shake it really well. Make sure to get high quality glycerin. Put 4 – 5 drops of this mixture on a cotton ball and gently apply it all over the face. Your acne should sting, because clove oil creates a stinging sensation in them. Do not wash it off.
Do this routine 2 times a day and avoid going in the sun. If you need to, don’t use a sunscreen, instead use a wide brimmed hat. Within a few days, one can find the acne cysts turning from red to a darker maroon color and depressing in size. The acne cyts have started healing as though it were a cut or wound.

Why it works ?
Clove oil works against the Propionibacterium Acnes, which is the bacteria that causes acne. The effect of clove oil is stronger than many prescription antibacterial creams. The glycerin acts as a non-comedogenic and less oily agent to carry this oil.
One can substitute jojoba oil for glycerin.

Get rid of intestinal parasites

Clove oil can be taken internally. Add 1 drop of clove essential oil in any tea, or shakes, juices, smoothies. Remember to add just 1 drop of clove oil only because that much is enough to provide the health benefit. This simple routine can help your body flush out intestinal parasites and also prevent their infestation in future.

Clove oil in your night cream

Add 2 – 5 drops of clove oil to about 10 gm of a natural cream. One can use beeswax or an olive oil based cream. Mix it well using a spatula or spoon. Apply this cream daily on your face and other skin areas. This provides the super antioxidant power of clove essential oil to your skin. When skin receives anti-oxidants in such high amounts, it vehemently neutralizes free radicals that are causing rampant destruction to the skin. As a result, skin remains protected from free radical damage and looks youthful.

Clove Oil Against Candida

Clove oil has been identified[3] as a potent Candida killer. It can help one get rid of a systemic candida infection which is believed to sap out the energy in a person. One can add 1 drop of clove essential oil in a compatible recipe and use it daily, one time a day. Since it is an anti-fungal, clove oil kills ringworm, athlete’s foot and many other fungal skin infections.

Relieves Headache

Clove oil, just like eucalyptus oil alleviates a headache. It works for various kinds of headaches and even migraine. Just open the bottle of clove oil and smell it deeply for about 10 seconds. Its strong smell pervades inside you and provides relief from throbbing pain in the head.
Clove oil also relieves neuritis. A special kind of neuralgia, called trigeminal neuralgia is a troublesome condition which causes pain in the face. This pain has a pattern. It goes from the temples into the ears, eyes and down to the cheek and sometimes in the tooth as well. This pain follows the path of the trigeminal nerve which is a major facial nerve. Applying clove oil on this nerve can relieve the symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia. It reduces inflammation and pain in the source, creates a numbing sensation and pain gets dulled. Do not apply clove oil directly. Dilute it in olive oil by adding 3 – 4 drops of clove oil in 100 ml olive oil and using this as your stock oil.

Clove Oil Uses At Home

Clove oil can be used for a variety of things around the house.

Substitute for moth balls – These balls contain naphthalene which is harmful. Instead, take some ping pong balls. Spray clove oil over them using a sprayer. Make sure to dilute the oil first in lots of water. Keep these balls instead of moth balls.

Kill mold – A mold is a fungal overgrowth on a wall or any structure. It commonly occurs in moist, damp areas of the house where fresh air does not get easy access. Once a mold occurs, it starts releasing harmful toxins into the air. One can kill a small mild by spraying clove oil over it.

Homemade cat repellent – No one likes cat urine around the house. Use clove oil in combination with garlic oil. Add water to this mixture and spray it on sofas, carpets and couches using a sprayer. This deters the cats.

Side Effects, Safe Dosage and Toxicity Issues

Clove oil is a very sharp and incredibly powerful oil. It should always be used in small dilutions, usually less than 3 % for personal use. In large dosages, it can cause severe side effects, either when taken internally or when applied topically. When used on the skin NEAT ( undiluted ), it causes chemical burns. If ingested at high concentrations or undiluted, it causes burns in mouth, throat and inside the intestinal tract. It causes vomiting, seizures, palpitations, fast heartbeat and it can turn into medical emergency. In some cases, clove oil can lead to liver or kidney failure. Clove oil should not be used for children less than 2 years old.

Allergic reactions

People who are allergic to cloves should stay away from this oil, even from its smell. Clove oil aroma can also trigger allergic reaction in these people.

History

Not much is known about the history of clove oil. However, it can be assumed that this oil has been extracted and even traded since the ancient times. It was used as a disinfectant in some ancient civilizations, although there is little reference to this oil.

Nutritional And Medicinal Information

Clove essential oil is highly prized in the medicinal community for its high eugenol content. Eugenol is the chief compound in clove oil. This oil is therefore used to extract eugenol. Most of the properties of clove essential oil are attributed to eugenol. It has an anaesthetic effect, which numbs toothache. It is also an antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and strongly aromatic.

Complete Nutritional Profile of Clove Essential Oil

Nutrient

Percentage

Property

Eugenol

87 %

Antiseptic, Anaesthetic, fragrant

Eugenyl Acetate

8.01 %

Woody and fruity mix smell

β – Caryophyllene

3 %

Strongly anti-inflammatory

Cineole

0.01 %

Anti-inflammatory, expectorant

α – Humulene

0.4 %

Anti-inflammatory

β – Ocimene

0.33 %

Used in perfumes

p-Allyl phenol

0.19 %

Also used in perfumes

Caryophyllene oxide

0.1 %

Anti – fungal

Data source – [4]

Besides these major compounds, clove oil contains many other beneficial compounds in trace quantities.One of them is methyl salicylate, which helps to open up skin pores to heal acne.

Other important chemical properties of clove essential oil

Nutrient

Percentage

Property

Density

1.04 g/ml

Used in aromatherapy massage

Storage temperature

no specific instructions

Generally stable

Comedogenicity

–

–

ORAC

10,786,875 Trolox equivalent

Supreme antioxidant ( the best )

Clove oil is a really versatile oil which should be kept at home. You never know when you might need it in a toothache.